Software

Proper system-level "do not disturb" settings have been a hit-or-miss feature depending on what manufacturer's phone you choose, and was a completely missing feature on stock Android devices — a void filled by countless free and paid third-party apps that have done a great job. For as good as these apps are, there's really nothing that can beat a well-done system settings pane that lets you...

Those that picked up one of the earlier tablet/smartphone combos from ASUS will be happy to hear that the PadFone 2 Android 4.4 KitKat update is currently rolling out. ASUS has been working on this update for awhile, so it's good news that it's live. On the downside, you'll lose all of your device data in the process, so be ready to start from scratch.

The Moto G Google Play edition is being graced with an update to Android 4.4.4. The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and the LG G Pad also got 4.4.4 updates recently, while the rollout for Nexus device started a bit earlier. The Moto G's previous update, 4.4.3, was released earlier this month.

The colors used in a gadget UI often seem like an aesthetic choice alone. But for those with color blindness, it can mean the difference between being able to operate a device normally and having a frustrating time using a phone or tablet. Fortunately the next version of Android after KitKat, currently known as Android L, includes new display modes to help users with color vision deficiency to...

Android L takes the design of this operating system in a different direction, and nowhere is that more apparent right when you start using it than in the lockscreen and notification area. The now-familiar Google Now card paradigm is alive and well throughout the interface of Android L, taken to the next level with the new ideas and colors present in the Material Design language that the...

Google surprised us yesterday with not just a new version of Android, dubbed Android L, but also the announcement of early preview builds to let developers get to grips with the new OS. Today, on the second day of Google I/O, we've finally gotten our hands on the Android L preview for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 and taken it for a spin. And while everything's not quite in place yet — as we'd expect...

The Android L developer preview is out, and we've brought you our first impressions of the next iteration of Google's mobile OS in our hands-on video. But if you want to take a closer look at the new version of Android launching later this year, you'll want to check out our extensive screenshot gallery below — we've got shots from the phone UI on the Nexus 5 and tablet UI on the Nexus 7.

Android's biggest update yet is brimming with exciting new stuff
Phew. Today's been a huge day for Android news, with the Google I/O keynote presentation and the assortment of announcements that followed. For Android followers, the biggest news of the day was the announcement of a next version of Android after KitKat, named simply "Android L." We don't know what the "L" stands for just yet,...

Sprint is updating its Moto X smartphone from Motorola with the Android 4.4.3 KitKat operating system. The Sprint release follows the earlier release of Android 4.4.3 on the T-Mobile and developer unlocked editions of Motorola's flagship smartphone. According to Sprint, the update will be rolling out in waves, so don't fret if you don't see an update notification on your Moto X right away.

If you're in one of T-Mobile's newly announced VoLTE markets, the un-carrier network is starting to deploy a software update to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 phones starting today. This will allow you to have a better, clearer voice experience while gabbing on your phones.

Kitkat updates galore are rolling out today. New software is hitting the Verizon Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 Mini, as well as the Sprint Galaxy S4 Mini and Galaxy Mega 6.3. These are OTA updates and bring along all the new goodies within Kitkat including "Ok Google", unlimited home screens, immersive mode, UI changes and much more.

It looks like Samsung is pushing out a critical update to the Galaxy S5 that the company says is an "emergency update" related to the S Finder universal search app on the phone. The update could be downloaded over WiFi or over your carrier's network, though the latter will incur "additional data charges according to your data plan."

Samsung is now starting to roll out the Android 4.4.2 KitKat software update to Galaxy S3 owners on AT&T's network. The update will be pushed out via an over the air (OTA) software update and users are advised that WiFi is required to download. Hit the break to see the full change log.

Reports are flying in today that U.S. Cellular is finally rolling out Android 4.4 KitKat for the Samsung Galaxy S3. It looks like the update may have started last night, so if you're rocking an S3 on US Cellular, you should have been able to grab the OTA update by now.

After some hints that an Android KitKat 4.4.2 update was on the way to Verizon Motorola Droid Razr HD owners, we heard from readers that they've received the over-the-air update and are good to go. Razr M owners seem to be getting the same treatment, meanwhile Droid Ultra and Mini updates are in the works. There are a bunch of new features introduced here, some of which you may have already...

LG's Volt is the latest LTE-enabled device to make its way onto Sprint's two prepaid carriers, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. The Volt is the US carriers' variant of the LG L90, which has been available internationally since March. The LG Volt is the first device to bring Sprint's Spark "enhanced LTE" service to the prepaid market.

If you're looking for a quality, off-contract Android phone, Ebay is currently offering the unlocked 32GB model of the HTC One M7 for $399.99. That's 38% off of the list price of $649.99. It's also $40 less than you'll find for the same model over at Amazon. But this deal is good for today and today only.

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